Spring Hill Dairy Farm, a fourth-generation family business headquartered in Haverhill, announced Friday it would shut down after water the company distributed around New England was found to contain PFAS levels of over 120 parts per trillion.
PFAS contamination has been linked to increased chances of cancer, immune system problems, and delayed or disrupted child development.
The levels detected are more than six times the limit Vermont recently put in place for drinking water. In Vermont, the water was sold under store-brand labels including Shaw’s, CVS (as Ice Canyon), and Cumberland Farms.
Since the controversy began in early July, Spring Hill has put considerable money into purifying their water system. According to a company press release, Spring Hill implemented a $100,000 charcoal filtration system on July 22, and their most recent test results came back clean.
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Deputy Secretary Peter Walke said he had seen the test results, and that the company would be authorized to sell in Vermont if they were continuing operations.
But according to a public letter from company owner Harold B. Rogers, Spring Hill’s efforts were not enough to counteract “sensational, fear-inducing headlines” from local media.
“The continued adverse media focusing on you our customers, as well [as] fluctuations in regulations and levels among different states and the federal government and more to come in the future, is of concern to our very small business,” Rogers wrote. “For these reasons, we didn’t want to cause you any more uncertainty or undue attention and shall close our business.”
Walke said that the company suggested it might shut its doors last week. “It is their choice, at this point, to decide to close,” he said.
Spring Hill’s PFAS contamination comes in the wake of tightened regulations for Vermont’s water supply. After a new water purity bill became law in May, all state water systems were alerted that they must complete PFAS testing by December. In addition to raising the standard for public water supplies, the law also encompasses Vermont’s in-state bottled water companies — the equivalents of Spring Hill. State officials have not “yet resolved” how to address water from out-of-state sources, Walke said last week.
But while Vermont’s policies are now some of the strictest in the nation, other New England states have their own rules. In early July, the Massachusetts health department published a press release asserting that Spring Hill — a Massachusetts-based company — met state PFAS standards. The statement suggested only that the water should not be consumed by those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
In past press releases, Spring Hill officials emphasized that the company complied with Massachusetts law.
“As soon as Spring Hill Water was made aware of the changes noted in the advisory, we arranged for a new charcoal filtration system,” a press release reads. “Spring Hill Water was under no obligation to make this $100,000 investment since the state of Massachusetts has not set standards for bottled water, but we want the best for our customers.”
In Vermont, however, the maximum legal level of PFAS in drinking water is 20 parts per trillion. The amount found in Spring Hill’s water is 6.5 times Vermont’s limit.
According to Walke, the state is working with Spring Hill to ensure that all water dated to before July 24 is pulled from Vermont’s shelves. While the process isn’t instantaneous, he said that Spring Hill is collaborating with distributors to remove potentially contaminated products.
“And if that doesn’t happen in full we always have the existing authorities to require it,” Walke added.
